@ Issue: Does homework work?

It depends, say these educators, on what you want it to accomplish

It's back to school time for New Jersey. Time to hit the books and a return to the classroom and homework. We all know what homework is for: At the elementary school level, homework can help students develop study skills and habits and can keep families informed about their child's learning. At the secondary school level, student homework is associated with greater academic achievement. That's the theory, anyway.

We asked a number of educators, "Does homework work?"

Does homework work? It depends on who you ask

By Dr. Joanne P. Kenny

When I was growing up in the days of "Bonanza" and "Wagon Train," there was never an issue about whether or not children should have homework every night. It was a given. Time was set aside usually before we went out to play or after dinner to work on what was written in the little assignment pad.

If we needed help, my parents were there, but they usually did not get involved - except to help draw a picture on the cover of a book report or work us through a math problem.

When I became a teacher, homework was still the order of the day. I taught high school English in a low socioeconomic school district, and many of the students needed reinforcement and a review of what was taught. The difference was that in most cases for these students there was no time set aside to do it; no one home to help them, and it certainly was not a priority.

Now that I am preparing teacher candidates to enter the profession, the question of homework - whether to give and how much not to give - comes up quite often.

National PTA recommendations for time spent on homework mirror those of researchers like Harris Cooper, director of Duke University's Program in Education: "10-20 minutes per night in the first grade, and an additional 10 minutes per grade level thereafter. High school students may sometimes do more, depending on what classes they take."

The most important issue regarding homework is its correlation with student achievement. International researchers Mike Horsley and Richard Walker conclude that it (homework) does not "significantly impact achievement ? and could possibly be detrimental." The Australian authors recommend in their study, published in 2012, that less homework be given and the assignments chosen for students should be of a higher quality, eliminating the drill and practice work.

On the other hand, the mega-study from Duke University by Harris Cooper and co-authors Jorgianne C. Robinson and Erika A. Patall states that there is a "? positive relationship between the amount of homework students do and their achievement outcomes ? students who had homework performed better on class tests compared to those who did not."

Whether or not homework helps, or even hurts, depends on whom you ask. Researchers have been doing their homework on homework, yet definitive conclusions remain a matter of some debate.

Let's stop the homework wars

By Dr. Donna W. Jorgensen

As the new school year begins, administrators, teachers, students and parents will once again face the battle over the value of homework. First, for the sake of argument, let's acknowledge that there is value in homework and then acknowledge that it is the kind of homework that is given and the amount of homework that tends to be at the heart of the war. It does not have to be a battle of epic proportions if everyone collaborates to make the homework experience as valued and valuable as all other learning experiences.

I am not a proponent of busywork homework, and I am not a proponent of lengthy homework tasks that tend to frustrate both students and parents. This creates problems for teachers when kids either can't or won't complete the task, thereby stopping dead the teacher's efforts to continue instruction the next day because he/she counted on homework completion. I view the assignment of homework as an exercise in futility if students do not know the purpose of the homework and share in the decision-making process about what kind and how much.

Yes, I dare to suggest that the students and their parents should have a voice in determining the purpose and quantity of homework at all grade levels, especially elementary school. There is little value in a student doing homework that requires nothing more than rote memorization, regurgitation, or replication of what the student has already proven to have mastered during the instructional day.

There are, in my humble opinion, two good reasons to require homework: demonstration of problem-solving in mastering a new skill and practice to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of a needed skill. In both cases, the quantity should never outstrip the quality of the assignment.

Those who know about learning tell us that there are times when a bit of frustration is a good thing but that too much frustration stops learning dead in its tracks. This is what happens with homework. Frustration comes from many sources, but it is very clear that when students do not understand the purpose of their homework and have no voice in the kind of homework given, frustration mounts very quickly. Factor in parents and caregivers who, for any number of reasons, are unable to provide help at home, and frustration is compounded.

In my 45 years in education, I have given my fair share of homework, and I have worked with teachers both pre-service and in-service to mitigate concerns over the homework wars. Compromise, clear objectives and expectations, and strategic planning work to benefit all stakeholders. I can tell you that when homework is both relevant and reasonable, everybody wins. The students will do it; parents will understand what is being asked and why; lessons will proceed smoothly; learning ensues as a natural result. It doesn't need to be a war or even a series of ongoing battles.

Only if it's meaningful

By Dr. John W. Griffith

Homework is a subject that evokes passion and controversy not just among children but also their parents. Ironically, homework is a practice that is almost synonymous with schooling, and yet few methodological studies of the benefits have been done.

Critics cite the impact on family life and extracurricular activities, the lack of empirical data to support benefits, the impact on sleep-deprivation, and a disconnect between what students do in class and what they do at home. Daniel Pink, in his book "Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us," advises that in order for children to be motivated to learn through homework, we need to make homework meaningful, ensure that it promotes mastery, try to make it creative and engaging, and clearly define its purpose.

A rationale for homework lies in the argument for the development of good lifelong habits - a compelling line of thought which argues that homework prepares students for careers in which assignments do not typically fit into a set period. Basic skills such as grammar, spelling and multiplication tables require drill, and the length of the school day may not allow sufficient time for this in class.

Moreover, learning how to begin projects, search for answers, and solve problems are skills that adults use daily and must be learned early through homework.

Although some say homework impinges on family life, anecdotal evidence suggests that sometimes the opposite is true.

Parents who are partners in the educational process have a positive influence on their children and can reinforce the benefits of education. Homework can provide an opportunity for parents to work with their children and demonstrate interest in what students do at school.

Of course, we also hear parents lament not only the amount of homework but also confess their frustration at not being able to help adequately with the work - especially in subjects like math.

Since Ranney School is an early childhood (beginning at age 3) through 12th-grade school, we are very conscious of the whole continuum and the way in which homework develops gradually and increases appropriately over time. In a school known for academic rigor, there is danger in the proverbial arms race over homework, as students move through multiple Advanced Placement courses that require a substantial commitment.

Yet, even in the upper grades, quality of homework, not quantity, should be our default as educators. If a math concept can be appropriately demonstrated and mastered in 10 problems, more may be redundant and even counterproductive. Differentiation and individualization of instruction further help us to see that one student may be required to do more problems than another before achieving mastery.

As an English teacher for many years, I find the idea of not providing readings on most nights to be anathema to the reading habits I want students to develop for college and a life beyond it. I also think that reflection and some modest writing (in blogs and wikis, and the like) can serve a great purpose, and that this can be achieved both in and out of class. Some faculty are even moving toward the "flipped" classroom model, where much of the traditional content that we are used to seeing in the classroom is reversed, so that students do much of the "homework" with the guided assistance of faculty. Again, while these innovative experiments have provoked great discussion, the proverbial jury is still out on their success.

The task we all face as educators is to assign purposeful homework, designed so that students will complete it, involving parents in appropriate ways and carefully monitoring the amount (and the age at which it is assigned) so that it is meaningful. I am very conscious of this as the parent of a preschooler at Ranney. There needs to be an appropriate balance. Homework can help students learn how to prioritize, make choices, and organize.

If we are reminded of anything, though, it is that inappropriate homework may produce little or no benefit. Our schools need to ensure that homework is a tool used effectively and properly. As teachers, we need to continually examine all our practices, and change and refine them as appropriate. The debate about homework is a discussion well worth having, both inside and outside of schools.

It depends on the context

By Kerry Carley Rizzuto

Like so much in life, the answer is: "It depends." Much of it lies in the context of the situation.

The issue of homework is inherently complex, and there is research on both sides of the homework aisle. Some assert that assigning a substantial amount of homework increases students' test performance, while others claim that giving children more opportunities for recreation and extracurricular activities will better aid in their overall social, emotional, physical and cognitive development. However, most researchers, education scholars, and teachers tend to agree on the simple tenet that homework, regardless of the amount given, should build on what happens in the classroom.

Homework should serve to consolidate skills and develop creativity in students by having them apply the concepts of what was previously learned during the day. In addition, an essential element of the Common Core State Standards calls for students to cultivate and expand their critical thinking skills, and homework is often cited as a tool for accomplishing this important endeavor. What does not work, is making assignments into new learning events. Homework should not be used to expose children to concepts and ideas for the first time, and homework should not be assigned for punitive reasons.

Sometimes parents complain that teachers assign too much homework. I have also found that parents sometimes correlate the amount of homework to the amount of learning that takes place during the school day; if there is not much homework some parents think that there is not much learning happening in the classroom. However, if you can answer five mathematics problems correctly or diagram six sentences with precision, is it really necessary for students to complete voluminous drills of the same type of task at home?

Moreover, I believe that one of the real dilemmas regarding homework is that it is assigned in batches, while good teaching is designed in direct response to demonstrated student need. Therefore, there is an inherent gap between the two constructs. Yet, great teachers, of which there are many in New Jersey, find ways to accommodate their individual student's needs when assigning homework. Perhaps one of the best methods of customizing homework assignments is relatively simple; teachers assign sustained silent reading. Read a book. Think about the book. Reflect upon the book. It may be the single best type of homework assignment. It is simple, efficient, necessary and effective. Most importantly, it pays off in academic dividends in student achievement. In our current technological, faster than the speed of light living, it is difficult for any of us, especially children, to sit quietly with a book. Nevertheless, in order to perform well on standardized tests, children need to develop reading stamina.

Some schools are coming up with creative new scheduling to deal with the hot-button issue of "does homework help?" For example, extending the school day and having teachers do the homework with their students. Before coming to Monmouth University, I worked as a teacher and administrator in New York City schools that were located in impoverished and high-crime areas in Brooklyn. In one of those elementary schools, we formulated a model for grades 2 through 5 in which we extended the school day to give students a safe place to get their homework done with the teachers' assistance (and with a healthy after-school snack).

Some school districts are also forming what are being labeled as flipped classes: The instruction is delivered at home, with the use of technology. In turn, during the traditional school day, class time is spent doing what is typically conceptualized as tasks assigned for homework. The benefit of the flipped classroom is that teachers have more one-on-one time to individualize instruction and accommodate their lessons based on demonstrated student needs. However, I cannot offer an unwavering opinion of flipped classrooms because, "it depends and I need the contextual factors." For example, which schools are using flipped classrooms? What is the socioeconomic status of these schools and school districts? Who is funding the portion of the after-school day that is involved in this new instructional paradigm, e.g. ensuring that every child has access to all of the technology that is required? How long will they fund it? Who will ensure that the resources of academic instruction via technology and resources are equitable? Why are these particular schools and/or districts choosing to implement flip classes? Which students will benefit?

In sum, homework, like everything in schools, and in life, depends on what it is being used for. Use its powers for good, and good will come.

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@ Issue: Does homework work?

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